Wednesday, August 14, 2013

I saw a bagged doll in the Barbie section at work a few days ago and almost passed her by. She had extremely unnatural looking red hair. Then I took a closer look and saw she was not a Barbie. I was able to read Mego Corp. on the back of her neck and decided to buy her, thinking maybe I could turn her into a Miss Fear (or here). Across her back it says Mego of Hong Kong, 1977, Made in Hong Kong.

It wasn't until later I realized her jumpsuit was turned wrong-side out.

She seemed to have a rather whitish face streaked with green.

Green streaks.

The green streaks came off with a magic sponge eraser. The white face (and in some cases arms) are a "normal" affliction of these dolls, something to do with the plasticizer used in their manufacture. There was an 18 or 19 inch size doll made, sold along with makeup so girls could make up the doll's face. http://crissyandbeth.com/Candi.html. Looking at her head-on, she has rather a hard looking face, but her profile shows a sweeter, softer side.

Her hair is a bit sparse on top near the front. As well as being a very strange red, it feels like cotton candy (although not sticky) and is pretty much uncombable. I put a (large) black wig on her to see how she would look as Miss Fear.

"It's just not me!"

At first I thought she was Mego's 11.5 inch Candi doll but then I found out Candi had three friends. From the Doll Reference site "1979 Fashion Candi doll, 11 1/2" tall rooted hair, [painted facial features jointed body. A Barbie competitor. Candi has four friends: Cinnamon, Lemonade, Tangerine & Wild Berry, each are same sized 11 1/2" tall & were scented." Wild Berry is the one with red hair and my doll's hair is very faintly scented.

I found a lovely green sweater among my miscellaneous doll clothes that was perfect for her.

"This is the true me!"

By now I had fallen totally in love with this girl. I had been thinking of making a new avatar lately and she seemed the perfect model. I named her Red Nicky, after my great-grandfather's brother who was called Red Nick because of his red hair.

Thursday, August 8, 2013

Eleanor is an Ideal Jody doll I found at Salvation Army Warehouse last spring. I didn't know who she was but I soon identified her through eBay. She is from 1974/1975 and was apparently quite wealthy, having a Victorian parlor, a general store, a country kitchen, and a horse and farm. At the Wishbook site, I found her in the Montgomery Ward 1975 Christmas Catalog on page 332 (you have to scroll across the bottom to the far right to get to the toys). She cost $4.99 back then and if you got her with a room, $15.99. It doesn't look like you could buy the room separately, although people are selling them on eBay (asking over $200 for some of them).

She was in her original dress and had her white boots. Her hair, which was originally floor length, had been cut to a much more manageable waist length. She is 9 inches tall, too tall for the Wayfarers Inn people and too short for Barbie, but I liked her so I got her.

I found some clothes to fit her, in case she wastired of her white dress.

She is the first doll I got the idea of making into a Steampunk girl, but so far I haven't done anything about it. And because I thought she needed a companion, I kept my eye out for someone else her size and was eventually rewarded.

"What is this ridiculous outfit I have on?"

Her face looked really familiar but I couldn't quite place her. Her back was marked 1977 Spelling-Goldberg Productions, All Rights Reserved, Made in Hong Kong. I finally located her on eBay--Yes, she is Farrah Fawcett from Charlie's Angels! No wonder she's horrified at that outfit. (I just stuck some clothes on her to cover her nakedness. You'd think she'd be a little more grateful.)

"This is better, I think."

The purple dress came from a Disney Anastasia doll. I didn't really like the doll but I did like the dress.

Fab Faces Doll
She's a My Scene Fab Faces doll.

She looks normal from the front.

When I saw this doll I thought she was a normal Barbie--until I saw the knobs sticking out of her back.

Her knobs

You push the knobs and she makes faces!

Smiling

Frowny face

Ooh face

The Toy Box Philospher has an excellent review of these dolls, with much better pictures. You have to scroll halfway down before you get to the faces.

Why, Mattel. Why??

Unknown Doll

I just loved this doll's face and pale skin but I have no idea who she is.

"I know who I am, but I'm not telling."

I found her at Bargain Bin and later I saw another one at our store. On her back it just says Made in China 2011. She also has a paper sticker that says Toys R Us, Maidenhead UK, with several numbers interspersed in there. I think she looks a lot like a Barbie Stardoll but she doesn't have rooted eyelashes like they do. I found real Stardolls on the Toys R Us website, but none like her. Her lips were very pale but Auntie Berman painted them for me before she left.

A crocheted dress I found.

I named her Savannah. It just kind of came to me. I wish all the dolls would tell me their names that easily!

Midnight Magic

Last Friday I thought I was supposed to work but when I got there, I found out I wasn't. So, quickly getting over my disappointment, I went across and down the parking lot to Bargain Bin. It was mighty slim pickings but then I spotted what I thought was a Monster High doll. It turned out to be a Midnight Magic doll. Two of them in fact.

"We thought were were goners!"

The Pink girl was missing a leg. I searched the bin thoroughly but couldn't find it. I made my rounds of the other bins but since it was so late in the day, there wasn't much there. Then I came back to the bin where I'd found the dolls and searched again. No luck. I moved to the one next to it and suddenly saw a pink leg! The Purple girl was missing her forearm but since her whole arm was taped up, I didn't even try to find her hand.

I had no idea who they were but I soon found out they are Midnight Magic girls, sold by Dollar General, Walgreens, and other such stores for less than $6.

Her leg is not attached.

Husband-Like Person reluctantly agreed to try to reattach the leg, and he did, using a small zip tie.

Sorry for the fuzziness.

Her leg is sort of permanently sticking out, but she's just happy to have two legs.

Always dancing.

Tuesday Mrs. Smith and I went thrifting. It wasn't the same as going with Auntie Berman but we had a good time. Mrs. Smith bought almost $30 worth of stuff at Bargain Bin, no mean feat. She got a lot of purses and jeans. I found a few dolly clothing items and then saw a Disney doll with articulated arms. I got her with the idea of doing an arm transplant. Unfortunately I am growing rather fond of her, although I don't usually like the Disney look. The back of her head just says Disney China. After searching eBay, I am convinced she is Princess Belle from Beauty and the Beast. Now I'd better get out a princess dress for her! I will also attempt to repaint her lips a more pleasing color.

Disney girls have very odd eyes.

So I think Purple girl will end up having a Steampunk mechanical arm, although I haven't quite figured out how that's going to happen.